I have been given the opportunity to lead in several aspects in both professional and social spheres

Hello everyone. Please i am applying for a Chevening Scholarship in 2018 and below are what i have been able to put down. Your critiques and contributuons would be immensely appreciated as i try to meet up the deadline of submission. Thank you.

(1) Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

(minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

Chevening leadership Essay

I have been opportuned to work as an eye care professional in both private and government institutions with opportunities to lead in several aspects both in both professional and social spheres. My first experience of leadership was during my national youth service after graduation. I had to bring a group of young health workers and convince them to carry out a medical rhapsody in the community in which we were. It took a while for them to accept because it was voluntary but with perseverance, I was able to convince them and together, we were able to carry out a remarkable exercise which led to me being awarded the best corps member in the state.

As a very young optometrist in 2010, I proposed to my head of department for a free vision screening exercise for our host community to commemorate the world glaucoma day which comes up on the month of March every year. The proposal was approved but I was asked to lead the team for the programme. I saw it as a big challenge because I wasn't the most experienced in the department at the time, but I took on the mandate and had to select a team with which I worked with. We were not financially supported for the programme but with proper creation of awareness within the hospital and around our neighbourhood, we were able to screen over 300 people during the exercise. This exercise brought about an increase in our patient turnout to the department. The following year, we were fully supported financially and the awareness campaign was even carried out on air via radio and television broadcast. The exercise has been extended to other nearby communities and has been marked as an annual exercise of the institution for the past 6 years. The initiative and its success led to my being appointed the head of department 3 years later after the former left on transfer.This initiative has been burrowed by several other departments within the hospital to commemorate several exercises pertaining to their departments.

As the head of department, I have led the department with the corporation of the other member staff, to improve the services rendered to patients and the public with several initiatives like monthly lecture on several aspects of eye care, creation of a paediatric eye clinic and installation of 2 modern equipments to mention a few. In 2016, the department was awarded the most innovative department in the institution's annual Medical Director's award.

I believe a Chevening scholarship to study at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine would give me more leadership experiences to bring back to Nigeria where I would lead and motivate people and institutions to improve the quality of life and develop eye care services in the public healthcare system.

Thank you all in anticipation of your responses. Every comment would be highly welcome.

Emeka, unfortunately, I can only assist you with one of the essays that you posted here. We have a one essay per thread policy so multiple posting in one thread is not allowed. Actually it is against the rules so you should delete the other essays if you have the chance because this violation could result in the suspension of your account. In the meantime, I will discuss the improvements that can be made to your leadership essay. Please post the other essays as individuals threads when you have the time.

For the leadership essay, open with the 2010 discussion of your leadership skill and work on developing that into a transition into your being the department head at present. Those are two very strong leadership presentations. It is well developed and really works to show off how you can be a future leader in your country within your profession. Sadly, you were only focused on developing your leadership abilities so I found myself searching for a representation of your influencing skills as well.

I believe that as the head of the department, you can find an influencing opportunity to present in the essay. That can be a separate presentation if your work experience requires it to be that way. Taking the initiative means you were able to lead people in the face of adversity. Adversity is equivalent to difficulties in the project. Difficulties in the project requires leadership. Leadership requires you to influence your subordinates to complete the task on hand. How did you, as a leader inspire your subordinates then? Think about such a scenario then present that as your influencing experience. Make sure that it sounds important enough to qualify as a significant influencing experience in your line of work.

@Holt
Thanks a whole lot. I would work as advised about the power of influence.